D.C. Jones and Adventure Command International 2

'80s kids ought to give this a read.

DC Jones 2: Rescue at the Arctic Outpost is a fantastic follow up to the first DC Jones: Adventure Command International volume, Secret of the Sunken Tomb. Like that first book, Rescue at the Arctic Outpost is a collection of three separate stories that are linked together by an overarching narrative.If you are not familiar with the Adventure Command premise, it is basically the author’s love letter to all the great action figure toys from the late 60s and early 70s, primarily the GI Joe and Big Jim toy lines. The fiction captures all the fun and nostalgia that are wrapped up with my many fond memories of playing with such toys, and reading these stories evokes a childlike sense of wonder without being childish.The tone of the stories in this volume strike a perfect balance between action and character, and Beard skillfully gives each member of the Adventure Command distinct and easily identifiable personalities. The characters are broadly painted, yet they all have enough depth to be interesting. The interactions between Glenn and Kent in the second story, “Moonwalk Mystery”, were particularly fun and engaging. And Beard’s prose keeps the stories moving at a good clip with snappy dialogue and plenty of action. His writing just gets better and better with each new book.The presentation of the book is every bit as good as the fiction. The cover art emulates the vintage packaging of an imagined Adventure Command toy playset, right down to a price tag sticker. It fits the tone of the book perfectly. Inside, there’s a roll call of the characters, with each character bio accompanied by a portrait. Again, it’s like something straight off a vintage toy package, and it’s a nice way to put a face to the names in the stories.The audio version is where this book really shines. The narrator, Johnny Heller, has the perfect voice and delivery for this type of story. The real gems, though, are the DC Jones: Adventure Command theme song and the faux toy commercials. They are both spot on, and they add a lot of fun to the experience. Audio is definitely the way I will go with any future DC Jones books.Over all, DC Jones 2: Rescue at the Arctic Outpost is an excellent read, and it’s well worth upgrading to the audio version. My highest recommendation!

I grew up on Jonny Quest, Tales of the Gold Monkey, Magnum PI, and the Six Million Dollar Man. DC Jones is the perfect continuation of that tradition-- intelligent heroes that can think their way out of any situation, no matter how dire. These are true "men of action" who aren't afraid to dive into the fray when danger rears its ugly head and the writer really conveys this. The prose is lively-- highlighting both suspension and danger where appropriate. Even better-- the characters feel like real people, with personality quirks and unique mannerisms. They feel like an established organization with years of experience working together (in some cases) vs. a a group just coming together for the first time. It's a feeling akin to watching the first episode of classic Jonny Quest-- the family has been together for years, even if the viewer is just tuning in for the first time.If you're looking for some nostalgic action and adventure, look no further than DC Jones! You won't be disappointed!

A trio of riveting prose, as with the previous volume. Delving more into plots established in the first, though now free from constraints of Hasbro's IP/intervention. Expanding the Adventure Team Proxies more into their own entity, but continually making tongue and cheek references to their inspiration.Punchy, well written adventure tales with a pulpy snap. Continuing the tangent and picking up where Vol. 1 left off without retreading or feeling like a rehash. While also setting up the inevitable Vol. 3 and beyond.Refreshing our memories of the political landscape of the mid-70's, spies and espionage plant themselves in 2 of the stories, while the descriptions of the cryptids have a subtle horror feel.If I had one complaint, the choice to write all of Dixie's dialogue in her dialect stops my Yankee brain cold, and sometimes requires several readthroughs before I can decipher it. Other than that, the stories are fantastic. I will be buying Vol. 3.